I adore romance, whether as the subject for the books I write or the decor around my home. Whatever I am doing, I am busy creating a story that is as romantic (in all of its definitions) as possible. Lately I have been obsessed with red and white, silver, anything that glitters and snow Snow SNOW! (pics to follow) There was a time, however, when red was not allowed anywhere in my home, including at Christmas. It all began when my fiancé and I went couch shopping. He knew how much I loved (read: lived for) pink and he insisted that he didn't care what color couch we chose as long as it wasn't my favorite hue. How we ended up with a blue (very much not my color) one I will never know. Once we married and I moved in, I softened the blow of that blue couch by purchasing Ralph Lauren floral pillows that sported large cabbage roses in tones of pink, burgundy and, oddly enough, blue. Burgundy and pink accents were added to the room. However, to me, red and burgundy together was, visually, the equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Over the years I did relent and allow red in my kitchen or some other segregated area, but my current passion for red and white was started by the Father Christmas figure on my mantle.
I had been wanting one like him for some years and was thrilled when my sister presented it to me as a birthday gift nearly ten years ago. Immediately, my policy of no red in my shabby chic living room was abandoned. I bought the faux red berry garland so he would not feel so lonely and, little by little, the amount of red in my collection of Christmas décor has grown by leaps and bounds. 
My mantle *is*in my pink and white living room, so this is the room that sports the least red. The snow babies are the original proto types, called Snow Children by Dear Dolls, and are about twenty years old. I have three, one for each child--I wish I had bought more before they became even more rare and dear (you can find them on eBay).
The more references to snow in my Christmas décor the better!
My two sided clock takes on a chilly air with the icy branch adorning it.
My entry way looks as if it could be found in a house in snow country. Fake snow on the window goes a long way.
This vignette can be found at the end of the hall just outside my bedroom door. It makes for a very cheerful scene that can be viewed from almost anywhere in the house.
The medieval stocking tree ornament was also a gift from my sister--I love it so much that it has never hung on my tree but has always had its own spot.
In the same corner is the entry to my bedroom. My home is small so my bedroom doubles as an office for my husband, as well as a place to watch TV when the one in the living room is in use. As such, it gets a lot of attention at Christmas and even has its own tree. Since it is tucked away in the corner and is the coldest room in the house, it is the perfect place to indulge my passion for red and white.
This tree is covered in Santas and whatever can be found outdoors--snowmen, deer, trees, berries--and red jingle bells. The ribbon speaks to my Scandinavian genes which have, in turn, been speaking more loudly in the past five years than they ever have before.
My bedroom is a magical place at night, but it is just as warm and cozy during the day when the sun is shining.
This is the room where I fully indulge my Victorian décor sensibilities which, for me, always means a white bed. (The red pillow is angled so that it is seen to best advantage from the hall when passing by.)
We made the canopy ourselves from pvc pipe which is hung from the ceiling with fine, white chain. I added the lace to the plain sheers. The baby gown hanging from the armoire was a gift to me from my mother who purchased it in England.
Red candles in odd places (like those hanging from the canopy) is a Scandinavian custom. I made the red and white stockings the first Christmas that my husband and I were married--twenty eight years ago.
I even do a bit of decorating in the bathroom. The white tree is a battery operated candle that we keep lit all night. It is a welcoming sight during the dark, winter months.
I do have another place in my living room where red can be found. I put these out before Thanksgiving this year--with the light shining on all of this red and white, it makes the dark evenings less dreary. The girl holding the star ornament on the top shelf was a gift from my parents to each of their children one Christmas. It represents the custom we have in our family of hanging matching snowflakes--a different one for each child and grandchild while my parents own the whole set--each Christmas Eve. It is a treasured Christmas tradition that binds us together even when we are not all gathered in the same place.
The two Santas and the elf in this photo were all gifts from another sister of mine.
It was very fun to visit the Belleek factory in Ireland this summer where the Victorian egg caddy (above) was made in the late 1800's. (Read about my visit to Ireland by clicking on the links in my sidebar.)
For Christmas dinner, we move the table from the dining area and place it in front of the "fire" (a DVD that runs on our large screen TV, complete with authentic popping and burning sounds).
I like to get creative with my place cards each year. I broke pieces off of a large plastic snowflake for the above effect. (And, yes, the red plastic container did melt a bit from the candle.)
I made this snow globe from a punch bowl last year. When the season was over, I washed it and put it back in the cupboard. This year I added a chilly-looking Santa.
I have been collecting red and white china for quite some time. The bottom plate is Red Vista (my favorite) by Masons, the cup and saucer is Old Britain Castles by Johnson Bros. and the plate in between is the Christmas tree version of the same. The silver is Old Master by Towle.
The butter plate is also Old Britain Castles. It is a fun pattern because each piece represents a different castle, including Blarney in Ireland which I visited this summer, as well.
More photos of my red and white décor can be viewed in my Pinterest challenge blog post HERE.
Up next: my Shabby Chic/French Country/Danish-Swedish Christmas décor.
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